Some might ask why we import more trouble when we cannot effectively risk manage what we have now.

However there is another option. We have many young women who do not have children and may be having abortions because their workplaces are child and family unfriendly, or because they simply cannot afford to have children. Despite government assurances this sad state of affairs is getting worse not better.

How much does it cost to import trouble and why not spend that money on supports and facilities to encourage young couples to have children? I don't see either side of politics doing much but pay lip service to such issues.

We see plenty of articles about migrants and their needs and rarely (never?) anything about how we can improve the lot of people who are already here and who are delaying fertility through impediments like lack of housing, lack of support through breakdown of the extended family and expensive public transport.

Posted by Cornflower, Monday, 16 July 2007 9:38:53 AM

Ah Irfan, you old spoil-sport.

Don't you know there are piles and piles of money to be made from the all new, all singing, all dancing Security Industry?

Think of the opportunities, if say, you were an ex-army, ex-police, or ex-public servant who realised that the way to the top was not through the ranks. Life is too short for that. There's gold in them thar shills.

Take a look at the personal fortunes that have been "made" in the USA and UK. It's huge, huge, huuuuuuge! Anybody with shares in security cameras would be basking in the Canarys by now.

So when those salesmen (read "security consultants") solemnly intone their mantras down the tube, smile when you are being alert and afraid, and don't spoil the dream.

Another perfunctory article for the ill-informed and ignorant.You can use whatever labels you wish, Wahhabism, Sunni, Shia, Islamist, whatever. Islam is still Islam. You know, the one that propagates Jihad towards non-muslims.

Posted by Bassam, Monday, 16 July 2007 2:03:44 PM

All muslims shouls return to muslim countries so world war 4 can have easily recognised front lines.

Posted by citizen, Monday, 16 July 2007 2:34:59 PM

Yusuf and others plainly do not realise the profound threat that terrorists are to Australia.

We have had David Hicks, who guarded a tank, and surrendered the moment Coalition troops showed up.

Then there was Jack LaRoche, who planned to bomb the Israeli Embassy then decided killing people wasn't nice, turned himself in, got a couple of years gaol for his trouble, while his mates were allowed to flee the country.

Let's not forget Jack Thomas, who was asked to kill Australian civilians, refused, was given a ticket home, and was then charged with receiving funds from a terrorist organisation - yep, that ticket home. But that conviction was quashed since it was obtained from his testimony under torture. Hmmm. But he's still under a control order.

And now we have old Momo Haneef, who said, "oh look I have a few quid's credit left on my sim card, you have it" to his cousin who ten months later tried to blow people up. Obviously Haneef is a key player in the global terrorist network, and his arrest will be vital in the war on terror. Old Osama's weeping over the loss of Haneef, I'm sure.

I don't think people really understand the profound danger threatened to Australia by men who turn themselves in or surrender at the first opportunity, who refuse to kill Australian civilians, and lend their sim card credits to other people.

Be alarmed. Be very alarmed.

Posted by Kyle Aaron, Monday, 16 July 2007 3:09:57 PM

And now comes the news that Dr Haneef has had his visa cancelled allowing our Government to detain him once more. I must say that I was shocked by this news, because until then I had not fully realised the depths of depravity to which our Government had fallen. Due process had seen him released on bail, but clearly our Government had a contingency plan; take away his visa and detain him. That this has been done in my name - as a citizen of this country - sickens and saddens me; I also feel that in some way it lessens me. Although I am not ashamed to be Australian, I am perhaps slightly less proud to be Australian. There is no doubt that I am ashamed of our Government. Fortunately I can do something about changing our Government!